Lone Wolf No More
by PotCFan101
Summary: Covers the events of all three movies. A few days after his wife dies, John Wick has a contract placed on him by his former boss, after his son killed John's dog. This doesn't go unnoticed by John's friends, Katie and Sloane, who decide to help him instead of claim the bounty on his end. One thing leads to another, and over the course of a couple weeks, everything spirals into chao
1. Prologue: Death in the Family

Sloane and Katie watched as the wooden coffin sunk lower and lower into the ground. Just days ago, the two friends had received news from their friend, former assassin John Wick, that his wife Helen died. They had only met her once, at John's wedding, but nevertheless showed up to mourn.

"We're sorry, John." Katie whispered, placing her hand on the widower's shoulder. Wick turned his headhunter in her direction, barely even glancing at her, before turning back to the coffin, which was now completely in the ground.

As everyone else left the cemetery, John and the girls began walking towards their cars, until they noticed an older man in a trenchcoat walking towards them. Katie and Sloane knew him well, as did John.

r"It's been awhile." Marcus called out. "My condolences. How are you holding up?"

"rI was asking why her." John muttered.

"There's no rhyme or reason to this life." Marcus told Wick. "It's days like today, scattered like the rest."

"Are you sure?" John asked.

"Don't blame yourself." Marcus tried consoling his old friend.

"What are you really doing here, Marcus?"

"Just checking up on an old friend." Marcus replied, before turning to Sloane and Katie. "It's nice you could make it."

"John needed to know he's not alone." Sloane told the older man. "Jason sends his condolences as well." Marcus nodded, before turning back to Wick.

"Goodbye John." the two men shook hands, and Marcus walked away, leaving Wick and the girls standing in the rain.

"What will you do now?" John asked.

"We're planning on staying in New York." Sloane informed. "In case you need us."

John silently nodded, and got in his car to drive off. Sloane and Katie entered their own, before looking back.

"Be seeing you, John."


	2. Open Contract

_Four Days Later_

"Hey, Katie, look at this." Sloane nudged her friend to look at her phone, as they were walking down one of New York's streets.

"What is it?" Katie asked, confused, as the two looked at the phone.

"Apparently, there's a two million contract on John." Sloane frowned. "Weird. I thought he retired."

"Yeah." Katie pondered. "We should check in at the Continental. Maybe Winston knows."

* * *

Sloane and Katie entered the Continental, shortly making their way towards the concierge's desk.

"Good morning Charon." Katie greeted.

"A pleasure to see you both." the concierge replied. "Shall you be needing a room?"

"Yes." Katie replied, handing Charon two gold coins. They didn't have much for currency in the underworld, not as much as John Wick. But it was enough.

"Room 819" Charon told them, handing over a key.

"Is the manager in?"

"He is in the lounge downstairs."

* * *

After taking the elevator to the sub level and feeding another coin through a locked door, the two found themselves in the underground lounge, where classical jazz music filled the area. Upon quickly searching, Sloane found the hotel's manager, Winston, looking over several documents.

"There he is." Sloane nudged her friend, and the two walked over to Winston's seat.

"Sloane. Katherine." Winston looked up, smiling. "Welcome back."

"It's been awhile." Katie agreed, before pulling out her phone and pulling up the contract. "Do you have any idea what this means?" Winston took her device, reading it in his head.

"Ah yes. It seems there is a two million dollar contract on Jonathan's head." Winston briskly answered. "It was sent out by an associate of his; Viggo Tarasov."

"Did he ever say why?" Sloane asked.

"No." Winston said, frowning. "I couldn't imagine why. Jonathan left shortly after he met Helen."

"Yeah, that was just months after he saved us." Katie added, wearing a frown of her own. "I'd imagine he'd come here though, looking for answers."

"Perhaps." Winston agreed. "For now, you two should have a drink."

"Good idea."

Sloane and Katie got up and headed towards the bar, where they found a familiar face there, wear a black dress and smoking a cigarette.

"Miss Perkins?" Sloane asked, recognizing her. "It's been awhile!"

"Yes, it has." Perkins grinned, grabbing her drink and sitting at a nearby table.

"Weird." Katie frowned. "She barely said hello."

"We probably shouldn't worry about it." Sloane shrugged, before calling the bartender over. "Abby, two shots of vodka."

"You got it." Abby smirked, and Sloane slid a gold coin over the counter. Moments later, Sloane and Katie turned around to see a familiar face walking their way.

"John!" Katie smiled. "It's good to see you again!"

"Good to see you too." John muttered, and ordered his usual drink from the bar.

"What's going on?" Sloane asked, worried. "I heard Viggo put a contract on you."

"Yeah." John mumbled, gulping down his bourbon. "Seems that way."

"What happened?" Katie prodded.

"His son, Iosef." Wick replied. "He stole my car, and… he killed my dog."

"You had a dog?" Katie asked, surprised.

"It was Helen's last gift to me." John explained. "A way that I wouldn't be alone in my grieving. And Viggo's son took that… no, he stole that from me."

"So Viggo ordered a hit to protect his son." Sloane connected the dots, gritting her teeth in anger.

"You're not trying to cash in on that contract, are you?" John asked, looking at his friends in the eye.

"No, of course not." Sloane quickly said. "After what you did for us years ago. We owe you."

"Thank you." Wick said softly. "I have a nagging feeling that I don't know who to trust."

"Do you know where Iosef is?" Sloane asked. "We could help you."

"I don't need help." John growled. "I work better alone. Besides, this is personal."

John finished his drink and walked off, leaving Sloane and Katie at the bar.

"What are you thinking?" Katie asked her best friend.

"I'm going to follow John." Sloane whispered. "He doesn't have to do this alone." Right when Sloane was about to get up, she noticed Miss Perkins eyeballing John leaving, and quickly texting on her phone.

"You're seeing that too, right?" Sloane whispered to Katie, who nodded.

"I got a bad feeling she's working for Viggo." Katie frowned. "You follow John, I'll keep an eye on Perkins."


	3. Red Circle

Sloane stealthily followed John Wick out of the Continental and to a nightclub, called the Red Circle Club. After sparing the front door's guards, John entered the club, and Sloane managed to sneak past by tossing one of her spiked tennis balls into an alleyway and distracting the guards.

The younger assassin slowly walked through the halls, stopping only when she heard her mentor's voice, as he was torturing one of Viggo's men.

"_You stole my car… and killed my dog!_" John sneered, as he drowned the guard. John proceeded to walk towards the bath house, unaware that Sloane was following him. As he entered the bath house, John quickly dispatched most of the mobsters, but was quickly ambushed by one henchman coming through the doors. Wick attempted to stab the man through the chest, but the other man was quicker, and grabbed the knife. The two hitmen locked arms in a struggle, when suddenly, John's opponent cried out in pain, and slumped forward. John threw the other man away from him, sending him crashing through a wooden towel rack and alerting Iosef and the other guards. Right before John pulled out a pistol, he took a good long look at what struck the mobster. Protruding out of his head was what looked like…

Was that a tennis ball with nails?

John's mind raced. There was only one person he knew who used a weapon like that. Or rather, two… But John couldn't think about that, as he shot one of the half naked guards in the chest twice, then finished him with a headshot.

While John chased Iosef up the stairs and out of the bath house, Sloane took the opposite flight, finding herself in the middle of a dance floor, packed with people dancing. The assassin frantically looked around, noticing John slowly walking through the crowd, with Iosef running past more guards. Deciding not to waste the opportunity, Sloane picked off a few of the mobsters, while John shot the ones that got too close to him. Both Sloane and Wick followed Iosef up another set of stairs into a lounge, shooting down gangsters in red shirts left and right, while Sloane secretly covered John's six.

After kicking a corpse through a double set of doors, John expertly killed three of Viggo's men and entered the balcony, where he continued killing Iosef's guards. Meanwhile, Sloane whipped around, catching a mobster's fist and pulling his arm up, leaving him defenseless and shooting him through the chin. Sloane turned around, just in time to see a bald mobster with a thick beard attempt to ambush John, only for Wick to smash a bottle into his head and unload two rounds in his temple. Unfortunately, he wasn't prepared for the two henchmen behind him, where one with slicked hair and a thin mustache shot him twice in the side, sending him down.

Thinking quickly, Sloane shot at the other guard before he could react, but the first mobster that shot John took cover behind a pillar. John took cover as well, and once the guard turned a corner, he trapped the mobster's arm, tossing away the gun and initiating a fist fight. Through their rolling on the floor, kicking, and punching, Sloane attempted to shoot the mobster, but couldn't get a clear shot.

Once the mobster finally kicked John down, Sloane sprang into action and leapt forward, grappling with the guard and throwing a punch towards his jaw. Unfortunately for her, the mobster caught her arm and delivered two hits to the side, followed by a jab to the face. Sloane quickly bounced back and attempted to force her opponent's back towards a table. The tactic was working, until he grabbed a nearby bottle and swung at her face, giving her only enough time to bring her arm up and block the weapon. The blocking caused her arm to be exposed, and the mobster picked her up by the shoulders and shoved her off the balcony. Had John not jumped off and caught her, she would have had serious damage to her back.

Just as John was about to pull her up, the mobster came up from behind and stabbed him with the broken bottle, before shoving him over the railing as well. Luckily for Sloane, she was closer to the ground, and landed on her feet with a forward role. John didn't fare better, as he landed on his back on the hard floor. Before Sloane had a chance to pull her gun and shoot, the mobster got away.

"Jesus, John!" Sloane exclaimed, running over and helping her friend up. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." John muttered, staggering to his feet and beginning to walk out. "I told you I didn't need help."

"You're welcome." Sloane huffed. "I figured you would've been more fucked up if you did this alone."

"I'd be fine." Wick gritted his teeth, and the two walked out of the Red Circle. Suddenly, a cell phone began vibrating, and John pulled the one he got from the henchman he killed out and answered it.

"Victor, where the fuck are you?" Iosef asked in Russian.

"Victor's dead." John replied, then added in Russian, "Everything has a price."


	4. Uninvited

Within an hour, Sloane was back in her hotel room, discussing what happened at the Red Circle with Katie.

"And he wasn't happy you tagged along?" Katie asked, slightly surprised.

"Nope." Sloane muttered. "Guess he really did want to do this alone."

"C'mon, even he needs friends." Katie scoffed. "Especially since his wife-"

Suddenly, Sloane bolted upright, turning her head towards the direction of John's room.

"Did you hear that?" Sloane asked, cocking her head.

"No." Katie frowned. "What was it?"

"It sounded like a silenced sniper shot." Sloane guessed.

"How can you possibly know that?" Katie inquired.

"It's one of the things I picked up while we trained with John and Marcus." Sloane replied, then her eyes went wide with fear. "Oh god, Marcus… do you think he?"

"Took the contract?" Katie finished, her eyes lighting up in horror. "We need to check on John now!"

The two friends bolted out of their room and opened the door to John's suite, finding a woman with dark hair standing with her back to them, with a pistol raised and firing two silenced shots.

"Hey John!" Sloane instantly recognized the voice belong to Miss Perkins.

"Perkins?" Wick asked curiously, as his would be killer fired five more shots.

"Thought I'd let myself in." Perkins said, taking cover behind a column, but somehow not noticing Sloane or Katie.

"I noticed!"

"So did we!" Sloane snarled, and tackled Perkins to the floor. Perkins instantly delivered several quick punches to the two girls and bolted towards John again, who pushed her against a wall and pressed a cloth around her neck.

"Didn't know Perkins got of bed for less than three!" Wick snarled, beginning to choke the female assassin.

"Viggo's giving me four to break hotel rules!" Perkins smirked. Before she could react, John turned around and flipped her over his back, sending them both to the floor, while Sloane and Katie got back up. Unfortunately for them, Perkins kicked them in the face, while punching John in the ribs.

"You were always a pussy." Perkins sneered, repeatedly hitting John until Sloane pulled out a knife and stabbed her in the leg. Had John not grabbed her arm, Perkins would have given the girl an uppercut.

Just as Perkins trapped Wick's arm and threw him into the couch, all four of them began hearing the phone ringing.

"I got it." Katie groaned, and made her way over to the room's telephone. Meanwhile, Sloane grabbed Perkins and threw her off John, who jumped off the couch and socked his would be killer in the stomach. Not willing to be beaten easily, Perkins headbutted Sloane and kicked John, but both quickly recovered. Sloane kicked Miss Perkins in the back of the leg, forcing her onto one knee, and proceeded to throw a haymaker at her right cheek, while John delivered a powerful punch to the sternum.

While Sloane and John fought against Perkins, Katie finally made it to the phone, and swiftly answered it.

"Mister Wick?" Katie could hear Charon's voice on the other end.

"He's a bit busy at the moment." Katie grimaced, watching her best friends continue to pummel Perkins.

"Katie, isn't it?" Charon asked. "Apologies for calling at this hour, but I have received a number of grievances on the floor you and Mister Wick are on, concerning the noise."

"Sorry about that." Katie chuckled. "Sloane and John are dealing with an uninvited guest at the moment."

"I see." Charon chuckled as well. "You do know the rules."

"No business on hotel grounds." Katie reminded herself. Just then, she noticed Perkins trip Sloane, then repeatedly punched John in his side, where he was previously shot. As he cried out in pain, Perkins got back up and began strangling Wick with her bare hands.

"I got to go." Katie said quickly, and hang up, before running up and tackling the older woman, sending them both flying past the bed and through the glass behind the frame.

Katie growled in pain, slowly standing up, but Perkins was quicker, and punched her in the face. Perkins drew her fist back again, but just as she swung, it was caught by someone else.

"Can't believe we used to look up to you." Sloane spat, and used her other fist to punch Perkins in the jaw. While the other assassin recoiled from the attack, Sloane kicked out, hard. Her foot slammed into Perkin's chest, and she fell through the doorway, landing on her back.

"John!" Sloane cried out, helping Wick to his feet. "Are you alright?"

"Yes. Thank you." John said, wincing in pain, but nonetheless, grabbed Perkin's silenced pistol. "The phone?"

"Charon." Katie told him. "There's been a few complaints about the party we had here."

"Yeah." John muttered, and walked out the door, finding Perkins slowly crawling down the hallway.

"No, no!" Perkins squealed, as John grabbed her by the throat, and pressed the gun to her temple.

"Where's Iosef?" John asked.

"Fuck you!" Perkins snarled. Sloane was beginning to get annoyed at the woman they used to think as a friend, and slapped her hard across the face.

"Where's Viggo?"

"I ain't telling any of you shit!"

"Do you really want to die here, Perkins?" John asked, pressing the gun closer to her head.

"What about the rules?" Katie asked, worried Wick would kill her. "No business on grounds-"

"Not if they attack you." John interrupted, before turning his attention back to Perkins. "Talk."

"Little Russia, there's a church." Perkins spilled the beans. "It's a front. Where Viggo keeps his personal stash."

"Thanks." John mumbled, before pistol whipping Perkins unconscious. As he was about to get up, he heard the faint click of a gun.

"Do I know you?"

"I think so." John and the girls turned around, seeing an older man with a mustache, who was indeed holding a gun.

"Hey John." the man said, before looking at Sloane and Katie. "Friends of yours?"

"Yes Harry." John smirked.

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah. Everything's fine."

"I'll leave you to it then."

"Hey Harry?" John asked, as Harry turned back. "You keen on earning a coin? Babysitting the sleeping one?"

"Catch and release?"

"Catch and release."

* * *

As John and Harry tied Perkins to a chair, Sloane and Katie followed them into the hotel room.

"You're going after Viggo, aren't you?" Sloane asked.

"Yeah." John muttered,finishing with the handcuffs. "I can do this myself."

"Looks like you needed help back there." Katie pointed out, jerking back to John's suite."

"I had it under control." John argued, gritting his teeth. "I appreciate your assistance, but this is my mission. You don't have to do this."

"You're right, we don't. But we want to." Sloane told him. "Please let us. You don't have to do this on your own."

"You're right, I don't have to. I just want to." John said, mimicking his friend's words. With that, he stormed out of Harry's room.

"You're planning on following him, aren't you?" Harry asked.

"Damn right." Sloane grumbled. "Katie, stay with Harry."

"You got it." Katie shrugged. "Just make sure John doesn't die."


	5. I'm Thinking I'm Back

While Sloane began to secret follow John to Little Russia, Katie and Harry were waiting for Perkins to wake up.

"What exactly are we going to do with her?" Katie asked, curious.

"John wants the whole catch and release, and we'll do that." Harry assured her. "Then, housekeeping will deal with her."

"Sure is taking awhile." Katie grumbled. "Should I get Charon?"

"Might as well."

* * *

Katie made her way down to the front desk, where Charon and Winston were speaking.

"Ah, Katherine." Winston smiled. "Charon just told me of the party you and Jonathan had last night."

"Something like that." Katie smirked. "A friend is babysitting the uninvited guest right now."

"I believe it is time to go fetch her then." Charon decided, and the three of them took the elevator to Harry's floor.

"What will happen to her?" Katie asked.

"Our laws are clear." Winston replied. "She broke the rules. Once she is escorted off the premises, she is declared excommunicado. All services by this hotel, and any hotel in the world, will be closed to her."

"I see." Katie stated blandly, just as they opened the door to Harry's room. Katie's eyes widened, finding that Perkins was not in the chair as they left her, and found Harry laying on the bed, with a pillow over his face. With a concerned look on his face, Charon reached over and pulled the pillow off, revealing a bullet hole in Harry's forehead.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me." Katie growled, turning to Winston. "What's the penalty for this?"

"Her life is now forfeit." Winston briskly declared. "Killing on Continental grounds is punishable… by death."

* * *

Sloane silently crept up to the balcony of the church in Little Russia, having followed John all the way from the Continental. Upon noticing there was one guard up there, she pulled out a garrote wire and strangled the man to death, and watched as her friend made short work of everyone else.

Within minutes, John had taken out Viggo's men in the church, and took the priest hostage. Sloane watched as the two went downstairs, presumably to the vault. Several minutes later, two middle aged women ran out screaming, followed by what smelled like smoke. John exited the church not long after, with a raging fire trailing behind him.

Sloane decided it was best not to stay in the burning church, and exited as well, looking into the street and seeing Viggo and his men walking towards the church, clearly furious. Without missing a beat, John opened fire, killing some of the guards next to Viggo and engaging them in a shootout.

As Sloane ducked behind a bus, she noticed Viggo's right hand man got into one of the black cars and began driving. While John shot at more of Viggo's men, the car kept speeding towards him, and Sloane realized what was going to happen.

It all happened so fast, but at the same time, it felt like slow motion. The car rammed a vehicle John was taking cover behind, and it caused Wick to go flying. Sloane was just about to run over to help him, but a hand was clamped over her mouth, with the other raising a finger to their lips. Sloane looked up, seeing a familiar face.

"Marcus?" Sloane whispered.

"Good to see you again." Marcus grinned. "Where's your bestie?"

"With Winston." Sloane replied. "Shouldn't we help John?"

"Yes, but for now, we wait." Marcus warned, and the two slowly began following Viggo and his men, who were dragging an unconscious John Wick with them.

* * *

"I say this John. We sure as fuck broke the mold with you. There's a certain… audacity about you. I gotta say, you're still very much the John Wick of old."

"Am I?" John asked, looking up at his captor.

"People don't change. You know that." Viggo told him, leaning forward. "At times they do… Do you know what was in that vault? Oh, there was cash, not without its worth, but the leverage I had on this city! Audio recordings, physical evidence, blackmail, it was fucking priceless! Fucking PRICELESS!"

"Yeah." John smirked. "I kinda enjoyed that."

"Oh did you?" Viggo sneered, backhanding Wick hard across the face. "I know you did. So, you got married, huh? Settled down. How'd you even manage that?"

"Luck, I guess."

"Yeah, well, you had your wife, I had my son, and you sure got the better deal. But then you left. And the way you got out, lying to yourself, to Helen, that the past didn't sway your future. But in the end, we are all rewarded for our misdeeds. That is why God took your wife, and unleashed your wrath upon me. This life follows you everywhere. Everyone you come into contact with, everything you touch, dies. Look at us, we are cursed."

"For that, I agree." John growled. Viggo chuckled.

"Finally, some common ground!" the gangster laughed.

"Step aside, and give me your son." Wick demanded. Viggo looked stunned for a moment, before firing back.

"John Wick. 'Baba Yaga'." Viggo sneered, before getting up and putting on his coat. "It was just a fucking car. Just a fucking dog!"

"Just a fucking dog?" John repeated, looking down for a second. "Viggo. When Helen died, I lost everything. Until that dog arrived on my doorstep. That dog was her final gift to me, a way to grieve without being alone. In that moment, I was given a little bit of hope. And your son… took that from me. Stole that from me. KILLED THAT FROM ME! People keep asking if I'm back, and I haven't really given an answer. But now, yeah, I'm thinking I'm back! Now you can hand over your son, or you can die screaming with him!"

Before John finished his sentence, one of the guards put a plastic bag over his head, and he began to suffocate. A second later, two gunshots rang out, and both guards fell dead. Thinking quickly, John grabbed a knife and cut his bonds, then ripped the bag off his face. John then looked up, seeing Sloane walking towards him, her gun smoking.

"What the Hell are you doing here?" John growled, grabbing his pistol and assault rifle.

"Saving your life, asshole." Sloane replied. "C'mon, Viggo's not gone yet."

* * *

John and Sloane ran through an alley and under a bridge, before appearing right in front of Viggo's van. Sloane began shooting the tires, while John aimed at the driver. After a few well placed shots, the car stopped, and John jumped on top, killing the driver.

"Cool it, cool it!" Viggo could be heard pleading, as Sloane forced the door open and dragged the Russian out.

"Where is he?" John asked, shooting his gun in the air.

"Shit!" Viggo swore, looking up at his former associate and friend. "If I tell you, you'll let me walk away? Swear it?"

"Pull the contract." John ordered.

"Done." Viggo agreed. "Iosef is in a safe house. Brooklyn. 434 Holders place. They know you're coming."

"Doesn't matter." John growled, and he and Sloane walked off.

"So what now?" Sloane asked, once the two of them met with Marcus.

"I'm going after Iosef, alone." John told them. "Don't try to argue."

"But-"

"Marcus, take her home and keep her safe. Viggo's seen her face."

"You got it, John." Marcus shook his old friend's hand, and he began walking. "Let's go, dear."

"After you." Sloane grumbled, reluctantly following Marcus.


	6. Revenge

Sloane and Marcus found themselves walking down a street in Queens, when Marcus sensed someone following them. They paid it no mind, until a car door opened and two men came out, blocking their path.

"Think we can take them?" Sloane whispered.

"Absolutely." Marcus smirked. "But I'd like to see where this goes." The door to Marcus' home opened, and Viggo's right hand man revealed himself, ushering the two inside.

Marcus set his belongings on the coffee table and shed his coat, before turning to the men.

"Let's get this over with, whatever the fuck this is." Marcus grumbled.

"Hello Marcus." The older assassin's eyes widened with shock, and he turned his head, seeing Viggo sitting on the steps.

Before either assassins could react, Viggo's guards grabbed them by the shoulder and forced them into chairs, beating them mercilessly, while Tarasov made a phone call.

"I appreciate you granted my son a swift death." Viggo spoke slowly, allowing his rage to pour into his words. "I wouldn't know how to reply to that either. But Marcus betrayed me, and in doing so, he broke the cardinal rule. So, John, I have no choice, on him, or your friend."

"You're dead." Sloane spat, but was punched in the mouth by Viggo's right hand man. "John will be here any second."

"True words." Viggo mumbled. "So we'll make this quick." Viggo continued beating Marcus to a pulp, only stopping to smash his fist into a bowl of ice for the moment.

"You pulled the contract." Marcus groaned, as blood ran down his shirt.

"The line was open." Viggo glared at his old friend. "You had every opportunity to kill John Wick. Had you done your job, my son would still be alive!" Viggo ended his rant with a haymaker to Marcus' face, causing him to spit up blood. As Viggo walked towards the dining room, Miss Perkins entered, handing the mobster a towel.

"Thank you." Viggo mumbled, drying his hands of the blood.

"Miss Perkins. Why am I not surprised?" Marcus groaned.

"In for a penny, in for a pound." Perkins smirked, then looked towards Sloane.

"You bitch." the girl growled, but was met with a backhand across the face.

"I always liked you, Marcus." Viggo begrudgingly said, as he flicked open a switchblade and stabbed into the sniper's knee. Pain shot up through Marcus' leg, while Perkins smirked.

"Stop it!" Sloane pleaded, but was met with another fist to her jaw.

"Like the others, you will go out on my terms." Viggo threatened. "You both will."

With that, Viggo tore the knife out of Marcus' leg, and went to get his gun.

"Oh no, good sir. I go out on my own." Marcus replied. Before he could do anything, Sloane elbowed the guard restraining her, before taking his gun and shooting him in the head.

"No, you won't." Sloane told her friend, before shooting the other guard and tossing Marcus his gun. Miss Perkins was about to shoot at Marcus, but Sloane was quicker and shot her in the shoulder. While Viggo and Perkins were occupied, Sloane grabbed Marcus and jumped out one of the windows, crashing into the bushes outside. Not wasting any time, the both of them ran off into the night.

"Well played." Viggo snarled with hatred, before grabbing his coat and hat. "We're leaving. Prepare the chopper."

"What about me?" Perkins asked.

"When John comes, kill him." Viggo ordered, before leaving Marcus' home.

* * *

Sloane and Marcus kept running through the streets of New York, until they were certain Viggo's men weren't after them.

"Fuck!" Sloane cursed. "That was way too close!"

"Thank you," Marcus groaned in pain. "You just saved my life."

"You saved mine, and John's." Sloane shrugged, while calling Katie. "Hey, Katie, where are you?"

"With Winston and Charon." Katie answered. "Be careful. Perkins killed Henry and left the Continental."

"We know. Marcus and I just saw her with Viggo."

"Is he alright?"

"Yeah, Viggo did a number on him though."

"Listen, meet me at the address that I'm texting you." Katie told her best friend. "Winston needs our help with punishing Perkins for breaking the rules…"

* * *

Miss Perkins picked up her pace and continued walking towards a fountain in the middle of the night, barely slowing down when she was under a dimly lit building with pillars to support it. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a wooden baseball bat slammed into her leg, forcing her onto one knee, while another blunt weapon struck her in the back of the head. Perkins' eyes struggled to focus, but when she looked up, she saw two familiar faces swinging their bats into her head, before grabbing onto each of her arms.

"You fucking bitches." Perkins growled, spitting out blood.

"Haven't heard that in a while." Sloane snorted, as she and Katie tossed away the bats and took out handguns, placing them to each side of the assassin's temple.

"Miss Perkins." She looked up, seeing Winston walking towards the three of them. "Your membership to the Continental has been, by my known hand, revoked."

The manager nodded once to Sloane, and she and Katie pulled their triggers, blowing fist sized holes into each side of Perkins' head. While Sloane and Katie began to follow Winston, he passed a coin to Charlie the cleaner, who quickly got to work in removing the body.

"What do we do now?" Katie asked, but Winston ignored her question, and instead made a phone call.

"Hello, Jonathan. There are rules we must follow. Which is why I'm not telling you that a certain helicopter is being fueled at a certain helipad… by a certain someone." Winston said cryptically, before shutting off his phone.

"Where's Viggo?" Sloane asked.

"Like I told John, I can't tell." Winston shrugged, before leaving.

"Great. Now what?" Katie groaned. "We don't know where John's going!"

"I do." Marcus stepped out of the shadows, clutching his knee. "I know exactly where Viggo's getting ready to leave."

"Can you take us there?" Sloane asked.

"Yeah, but I doubt I'll be much help." Marcus muttered, before leading the two towards the helipad.

* * *

Marcus led the girls to the harbor, where Viggo's helicopter could be seen, plain as day.

"Where are they?" Katie asked, looking around.

"There!" Sloane shouted, pointing to John, who was limping towards a car. Within seconds, all three of them caught up to Wick and grabbed his arms, supporting him while walking. "What happened?"

"Viggo's dead." Wick grunted through the pain. "It's done."

"Jesus, John, you're bleeding." Marcus noted.

"Doesn't matter."

"We gotta get him out of here." Sloane declared.

"I'll drive." Marcus decided, and they loaded John into the van, and began driving back into the city. As the car passed the harbor, John took out his phone and played a video, containing his final memory of Helen.

"_What are you doing, John?"_

"_Looking at you."_

"_Come here."_

"She was beautiful." John whispered, before resting his eyes for a moment.

"_Come on, John. Let's go home."_

John's eyes snapped open, and he bolted up.

"You need a hospital." Sloane told him, trying to get him to go back to sleep.

"No hospitals." John groaned. "Pet store."

"What?" Katie asked.

"That should have medical supplies." John explained.

"I know just the place." Marcus smirked, and took a left turn.

The car finally stopped at a pet story in Brooklyn, where Marcus smashed the window and let the four of them inside. From there, he and Katie patched John up as best as they could, while Sloane looked around, seeing only dogs in kennels.

"That's why you wanted to be here." Sloane realized.

"Yeah." John admitted, getting up after the staples were set in and walked over to the large brown dog. Without missing a beat, he opened the cage and started petting the dog.

"It's okay." John told the animal, while he held its head in his hands. "Let's go home."

After finding a leash for John's new friend, he, Marcus, Sloane, and Katie walked down the streets of New York, feeling satisfied with all they've done. Sure, he still needed to get his car back, but for now, John was savoring the fact that his friends had aided him even though he didn't want them to, and he was glad he found a new friend along the way.


	7. Getting the Car Back

_Four Days Later_

Sloane and Katie crouched low and silently stalked through Abram Tarasov's hideout, having split up from John a few minutes ago. Right after he ran over one of Abram's guards on a motorcycle to find a keycard on his body, John used the card to unlock the door to his chop chop, and the Baba Yaga decided to leave the girls on their own, as they would cover more ground in finding his stolen car.

"Didn't think he'd let us come with him." Katie muttered, as Sloane snuck up behind one of the mobsters and strangled him with a garrote wire, before snapping his neck for good measure. "Especially since he sent Marcus back to the hotel."

"If we're all here, we'll find the car quicker. Besides, Marcus was injured." Sloane reasoned, while Katie pulled out a silenced pistol and shot another gangster who would've seen her. "Thanks."

"No problem."

The two continued sneaking around the shop, until they finally met with John next to a bunch of cars with tarps over them.

"You good?" Sloane asked Wick.

"Yeah."

"Then let's find your car."

"Not necessary." John told them, as he moved towards the third car, and ripped the tarp off, revealing his beloved Mustang. "Get in."

Sloane and Katie obliged, and took the passenger and rear seats, while John got the keys out of the glove compartment and started the engine.

"Fuck, that's loud." Katie said, alarmed, as one of Abram's men ran towards the rear of the vehicle. John simply shrugged, and hit the car in reverse, plowing through the man and sending him over the windshield. While the other mobsters quickly got into their cabs, John drove out of the chop shop and into the scrap yard, resulting in a speeding car chase. Unfortunately for Wick, it didn't last long, as several of the cars barreled into the Mustang, smashing into the vehicle that wasn't unlike bumper cars. John grimaced, putting his car back in reverse and rear ending the black car that hit him, before driving off again.

Just as they thought they were home free, a guy driving a motorcycle began chasing after them, and was gaining quick. Just as the motorcyclist was about to shoot John, Katie rolled down her window and shot through his helmet, killing the mobster and crashing the bike. John smirked and looked back ahead, watching as another black car attempted to block his path. Unfazed, the Boogeyman T-boned the other vehicle, backing up only to ram it again and sending the driver flying out, where he was shot to death by Sloane.

Their small victory was short lived, as a cab rammed the front end. Just as the taxi was driving away, Sloane and Katie shot through the back windows, killing the cab driver and crashing the vehicle.

"We got a few runners." Sloane noted, seeing two mobsters running towards the Mustang, in addition to the taxi's passenger running out of the destroyed cab.

"Wanna take em?" Katie asked, getting out of the car.

"Ah what the Hell." Sloane shrugged, putting away her pistol. "I need the exercise." John and Sloane followed Katie out, and engaged in a brutal fist fight with the mobsters.

Katie struck low at one of the gangster's groin, momentarily incapacitating them before throwing a haymaker to knock him out cold, while John attacked the second with punches to the chest and neck, with a final karate chop paralyzing him into submission. Sloane fought off the third by kicking his leg out from under him and slamming his head onto the ground, rendering him unconscious.

"Sloane, look out!"

John tackled Sloane to the ground, just in time to save her from a taxi that would've plowed through her. Wasting no time, Sloane walked over to the cab, opening the door and pulling out the driver halfway, before smashing the car door back on his head, giving him a concussion and taking him out of the fight.

The taxi's passenger door opened, revealing a brute of a man, who rushed at Sloane and picked her up by the throat. She was saved by Katie, who jumped on his back and slammed her elbow onto his head, causing the mobster to stumble about. Sloane dropped to the ground, but quickly lashed out a kick, which caught the gangster in the back of the leg and forced him onto one knee, where John finished him off with an uppercut that floored the man.

"Good work." John gruffly said, and began leading the two towards Abram's office.

The three made it to Tarasov's office, and upon opening the doors, got a good look at the Russian. He looked slightly intimidating, with long hair and a scraggly beard, and he appeared unfazed that John Wick seemingly took out most of his men.

John himself didn't attack Tarasov, instead grabbing a bottle of vodka and pouring two glasses, before handing one to Viggo's brother.

"_Peace."_ John stated in Russian, lifting his glass.

"_Can a man like you know peace?"_

"_Why not?"_

Abram grinned, before lifting his glass as well.

"_Peace." _The men drank from their glasses, and their business was concluded. As John and the girls began to leave, Abram uttered one last farewell.

"_Enjoy your retirement… Mister Wick."_

* * *

"Need a ride?" Sloane asked John, as they walked out of the chop shop.

"No." John answered bluntly, getting into his ruined Mustang and starting the engine, while Sloane and Katie walked towards the borrowed car that brought them here. Before they completely got in, Sloane turned back towards Wick.

"Hey John!" John paused, looking up. "Be seeing you." John nodded, before repeating the phrase.

"Be seeing you."


	8. The Slavers

After travelling around New York for the last couple days, Sloane and Katie left the borrowed car at Central Park, and began walking back towards the Continental.

"Have you heard from Jason yet?" Sloane asked.

"No, just that he's working with Jimmy to cover up the mess with Viggo." Katie replied. "I'm a bit surprised he was able to switch states from Georgia to New York."

"Well, Winston and John vouched for him." Sloane shrugged. "They probably pulled a few strings." Katie laughed, and the two continued walking, when they heard a familiar voice.

"You ladies shouldn't be walking around at night." the deep voice said. "Unless you have something to defend yourselves with." Sloane and Katie turned around, seeing a man in a dark trench coat and a ballistic armor vest. Painted crudely on the vest was a white skull.

"Don't worry Frank, we're prepared." Sloane smirked, revealing a nine millimeter pistol from her jacket. "To what do we owe the pleasure of the Punisher visiting us?"

"I need some help."

Sloane and Katie blinked in surprise. Frank Castle rarely asked for help. If he really needed assistance, then something was up.

"What's going on?"

"There's a group of slavers, here in New York." Castle explained. "From what I've gathered, some of these guys fought back in Nam. Others, Desert Storm. These aren't just any sex traffickers, like the ones you tangled with from Georgia."

"So you might need a squad." Sloane guessed.

"Exactly." Frank admitted. Sloane and Katie looked at each other, then back at Frank.

"When do we start?"

* * *

Sloane, Katie, and the Punisher crouched behind a car, watching two mercenaries enter an old, decrepit house.

"This is the place?" Sloane whispered.

"I've staked these guys out for months." Frank answered. "This is definitely where the operation is run."

"How come you didn't take them out sooner?" Katie asked, curious.

"Last time I tried, they shot me into the Hudson." Frank grunted, before loading his shotgun. "Ready to go?"

"You know it." Sloane grinned, as she and Katie followed Frank towards the door, gunning down the two guards stationed outside.

In an instant, Frank blew the door down with a shotgun blast, and was met by at least a dozen slavers yelling in Albanian.

"Holy shit!" Sloane exclaimed, firing several rounds into one man's chest.

"The old man's the ringleader!" Frank called out, blowing another merc's head off, then threw a combat knife into another's eye.

"Fuck you, Punisher!" an old man screamed, using an obese slaver as a shield while Katie continiously shot at him. Frank shot at all the other slavers with deadly precision, until there was just the old man left.

"You bastard!" the old man yelled, running up the stairs to the second floor. Castle raced after them, with Sloane and Katie following behind.

The three vigilantes finally caught up to the old man, who was holding slave hostage, with a knife to her neck.

"Come on!" the old man yelled. "Take your best shot!"

Sloane shifted her pistol to the side, careful not to aim for the helpless woman, and fired a round. The bullet tore through the man's hand, and he dropped the knife, screaming in agony.

"Nice shot." Frank complimented. "Guess John's training worked out after all."

"What are we going to do with him?" Katie asked, pointing to the old man.

"I got a few ideas…" Sloane smirked.

* * *

The old man finally came to, looking around and realized he was tied to a chair. As his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room, three figures emerged from the darkness.

"So, the Punisher got a couple whores of his own, eh?" the old man chuckled, as Sloane reached behind her. "We could have done business together, you and I."

"I'd never work with pieces of shit like you." Frank spat, as he pulled out a lighter. Sloane revealed a tank of gasoline behind her back, and with great pleasure, began dousing the man with the flammable liquid, grinning like a psychotic.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Katie asked her friend.

"God damn right!" Sloane laughed, tossing away the empty can, as Punisher's lighter finally produced a flame.

"When you reach Hell, tell em the Punisher sent you." Frank growled, before tossing the lighter onto the slaver. The old man screamed as the flames licked at his flesh and cooked up alive, and his last moments were spent writhing in agony.

"Thanks for your help." Frank nodded at the two girls. "Unfortunately, this didn't change anything."

"What do you mean?" Sloane frowned, confused.

"It was just one operation, and a relatively small one." Frank sighed in frustration. "This didn't stop the sex trade, or the war on drugs, or any crime."

"But still, it gives these guys pause." Katie encouraged. "Some of them think twice now, knowing what you'll do to them."

Frank smirked, and began walking up the stairs, soon followed by Katie and Sloane. Right when they reached the top stairs, their phones began buzzing, and upon opening them, found out there was another contract on John Wick's head, this time for seven million.

"John, what did you get yourself into this time?" Sloane asked, rolling her eyes. Just as the three of them made it outside the house, they were blinded by the red and blue lights of a cop car.

"On the ground Castle!" a familiar voice ordered. "Don't make me shoot!"

"Jimmy?" Sloane asked, recognizing who was speaking. "What are you doing?"

"Listen to him, please." Katie's eyes widened, as the car door opened, revealing her uncle Jason. "I don't want to see either of you get hurt."

"Jason?" Katie asked, shocked. "What's going on?"

"We'll explain later, just please, come with us!" Jimmy exclaimed, and the three had no choice but to go with them.

* * *

Jimmy and Jason finally parked the squad car at a musuem, and ushered Frank, Katie, and Sloane in.

"Why are we here?" Katie asked.

"Because I seek your attention."

All five of them turned around, seeing a man in a fancy Italian suit and curly hair with the sides cropped.

"Who are you?" Sloane knit her brows in confusion.

"My name is Santino D'Antonio." the Italian introduced himself. "I have a proposition for you both."

"Which is?" Katie narrowed her eyes.

"To kill John Wick." Santino smiled smugly. "He murdered my sister merely an hour ago."

"There's got to be more to that story." Frank growled. "I know John. He wouldn't kill anyone unless there was a contract, or if they fucked him the wrong way."

"Nevertheless, I must avenge my sister." D'Antonio rebuked. "However, Mister Castle, I have no need for your services. Just the ladies."

"You called me here, remember?" Castle reminded the crime lord.

"True, I did." Santino smirked. "Officers, if you would?"

"No." Jason said firmly. "I might not agree with Frank's methods, but I will not kill him."

"And what about your partner?" Santino asked Jimmy.

"Same here." Jimmy said confidently. "Castle doesn't deserve to die."

"Very well." Santino sighed, and snapped his fingers. In an instant, several armed guards walked into the room and shot the two cops, filling them with bullet holes.

"Jason!" Katie screamed, running over and catching her uncle from falling.

"You piece of shit." Frank snarled.

"Stay with me, please!" Katie cried, but it was no use. Jason's eyes become glassy, and he drew his last breath.

"You will pay for this, you son of a bitch." Sloane snarled.

"No, I don't believe I will." Santino smirked, as one of his guards, a woman with short hair, appeared and pointed two pistols at them. "Don't worry, you'll join your uncle soon enough."

"I'm afraid not." Sloane turned around, seeing Winston and two bodyguards walk into the museum. "Good evening, Santino."

"Winston." D'Antonio seethed. "What are you doing here?"

"To complete some records." Winston replied, laying a heavy book down on the table.

"What's this?" Santino asked, confused.

"He completed the task." Winston explained. "The marker is over. So mark it."

"If Mister Wick isn't dead already, he soon will be."

"Will you mark it, sir?"

Santino scoffed, and picked up a gold medallion with a needle on it, pricking his finger and pressing a bloody fingerprint into the coin.

"You have no idea what's coming, do you?" Winston asked.

"I have everyone in New York looking for him." Santino shrugged, marking the book. "I doubt we will see him again."

"Do you now?" Winston asked blankly. "You stabbed the Devil in the back, forced him back into the life he just left. You incinerated the priest's temple, burned it to the ground. Now he's free of the marker, so what do you think he's going to do to you?

"He had a glimpse of the other side, and he embraced it. But you, Senor D'Antonio, took it away from him."

"He was already back."

"Oh, he came back for love, not for you." Winston scoffed.

"He owed me." Santino sneered, standing up. "I had every right!"

"And now, he's coming again." Winston shrugged, picking up the book. "He did warn you of this. Adios, Santino."

Winston made his way out, where he was followed by his bodyguards, as well as Sloane and Katie. With his mission temporarily over, Frank seemingly blended into the shadows and left Santino's hideout.

"What the Hell happened?" Sloane asked, while Katie had a dangerous look in her eyes.

"John was tasked by Santino to kill his sister in Rome to complete a marker." Winston explained. "He did this so he could have a seat at the High Table. But now, D'Antonio's double crossed John, and put a seven million dollar bounty on his head."

"He has no idea who he's fucking with." Sloane smirked.

"No, I doubt he does." Winston agreed. "Will we be seeing you at the Continental?"

"Not yet, we're going to look for John." Sloane informed him. "He's going to need all the help he can get."


	9. The Bowery King

Sloane and Katie walked out of the museum, and began running around New York, searching for John. After about an hour of searching, and finding a large chinese man dead, they finally saw John fighting off a blonde woman dressed in black near Times Square.

"John!" Sloane called out, right as the woman brought up her pistol and shot the older assassin in the gut. John would never go down that quickly, and he swiftly knocked her pistol away and slammed the blonde on the ground, before breaking her arm and snapping her neck.

"John!" Sloane repeated, as she and Katie approached their friend. "You're bleeding."

"Good to see you too." John grunted, pressing a palm to his side.

"How did this happen?" Katie asked.

"Santino D'Antonio…" John struggled to speak. Luckily for him, he didn't have to.

"We know." Sloane told him. "Santino sent you to kill his sister so he could have her seat at the table. You've completed the marker."

"We watched Winston mark it down on record." Katie added.

"And now D'Antonio put a bounty on my head, to 'avenge' his sister." John growled, as the three made cut through a metro station. Before long, Sloane noticed an Asian man looking up at his phone, staring intently at Wick.

"Shit." Katie looked behind her, seeing another assassin behind them

"John, go!" Sloane yelled, pushing the Baba Yaga out of the way, before kicking the assassin behind them in the legs. The hitman in front of them pulled out a gun, but it was slapped aside by Katie, who threw a right hook. While John began to run off, the assassins attempted to follow, but Sloane grabbed a pencil and stabbed one in the shoulder, before pulling it out and stabbing the other in the neck. While the two assassins struggled to get up, Sloane drove the pencil through the first assassin's eye, and finished the second with a gunshot to the face.

"Did John teach you that?" Katie asked, impressed.

"Just something I picked up." Sloane smirked, and the two ran off to find John once more.

Sloane and Katie ran out of the metro, eventually finding John shooting into the fountain at Lincoln Center.

"John, what are you doing?" Katie asked, confused.

"Cassian, Gianna's bodyguard!" John growled, running into a subway station, with the girls following. Cassian soon followed, and the four of them traded silenced shots throughout the subway station, eventually culminating in all of them getting in a train car after killing two more assassins wanting to claim the bounty.

"I think we're safe." Katie grinned. Unfortunately, more than a minute after she uttered the phrase, at least half the train's occupants exited the car.

"Spoke to soon." Sloane muttered, as John and Cassian inched closer to each other. A few stops later, more people got out, and the assassins were at arms length from one another.

"I'm only giving you ladies one chance." Cassian warned, taking out a knife. "Leave now. This doesn't concern you."

"Go fuck yourself." Sloane retorted, as John pulled out a spring loaded blade. "You mess with him, you fuck with us too."

"So be it." Cassian growled, and without warning, drove his blade into Wick's side, forcing him to grunt in pain. Sloane attempted to throw a haymaker, but Cassian caught her fist and threw her to the floor of the train, followed by headbutting Katie.

"No!" John yelled, flipping Cassian over his shoulder and kneeing him in the stomach. Cassian tried to gain the upper hand by flicking away John's knife, but it was no use, as John twisted his hand inward and forced his own knife on himself. Cassian's eyes widened in shock, while John punched the knife further into his chest, before setting himself down on the subway seats.

"The blade is in your aorta." John revealed. "You pull it out, you bleed to death. Consider this a professional courtesy."

John left Cassian and helped Sloane and Katie up, and the three walked out of the subway car and out of the station, but stopped upon seeing two sanitation workers with their hands in their jackets.

"Shit." Sloane groaned, pulling out her silenced pistol and headshotting one of the assassins in disguise, while Katie did the same, not caring how many people saw.

"Now what?" Katie asked. "I want payback for Santino murdering my uncle!"

"As do I." John agreed. "But we'll need some help."

John led the girls over to a homeless man at the end of the subway tunnel, dropping a gold coin in his cup.

"Take us to him." John ordered. "Tell him it's John Wick."

"Them too?" the hobo asked, pointing at Sloane and Katie.

"Them too."

* * *

When John came to, he was lying on a cot beside Katie and Sloane, with his wounds bandaged. In an instant, the three of them got up, put their clothes back on, and walked with the same homeless man who brought them there, and were led up above the building.

The first thing Sloane and Katie noticed were all the pigeons on the roof, being taken care of by a husky bald man who appeared older than John.

"As I live and breath! John Wick." the man smirked, upon seeing Wick. "The man, the myth, the legend. You're not good at retiring. And I see you've brought friends."

"We're kinda attached to him now." Sloane joked. "How do you know John?"

"Mister Wick doesn't remember, but we met many years ago, before I rose as the Bowery King." the man revealed. "We met when I was a pawn. And he gave me a gift that would make me king."

The Bowery King lowered the collar on his shirt, revealing a scar on his neck.

"Gift from the Boogeyman, perfect for every occasion." The Bowery King recalled. "But you also gave me a choice: pull my gun, shoot you and die, or put the pressure on my neck, and live. Gotta say, it was a very close call. But you see, I survived. No one gets the drop on me, thanks to you. I am all-seeing, all-knowing."

"Then you know why I'm here." John guessed.

"Santino. The contract went wide, Johnny." Bowery King chuckled. "Bad for your health. What's it up to now? Oh yeah, seven million dollars. Damn, It's like Christmas! Earl, we're going to Applebee's after this shit."

"I need your help." John told the King. "You have eyes everywhere in New York. If anyone knows where Santino is, it's you. I need you to move me underground, so I can get to him."

"Ah, it's sweet, isn't it? The boogeyman begging me for help." Bowery King chuckled. "Why of course John. Anything for you, John. Would you like a backrub with that, John? Or maybe a foot massage, John? Now, why the fuck would I help you?"

"Because I can help you."

The roof went silent for a minute, before the Bowery King burst out into uncontrollable laughter. Once he was finally done, he, Wick, Sloane, Katie, Earl, and the rest of the homeless went back inside the building.

"You gonna help me out?" Bowery King inquired, as Earl removed his coat, and he donned his business suit. "How much help does it look like I need? But who in this cruel world is willing to help you?"

"We are." Sloane piped up.

"There's a storm coming, and not just for me." John told the Bowery King. "It's for all of us. For everyone under the High Table. Santino will rule New York with an iron fist."

"Yeah, killing someone on the Table does that." Bowery King shrugged. "But it's your problem."

"It'll be yours when Santino has New York." John continued. "You think he'll stop at 14th Street?"

"We'll take care of ourselves."

"What if you can't?" Sloane asked. "Santino will have the backing of the High Table, and whatever personal mob he runs. You kill him, and the Table will hunt you like a dog."

"It won't be pretty." Katie added.

"If I kill him, they only go after me." Wick concluded. "So do you want to go to war, or can you just give me a gun?" The Bowery King sighed, then laughed.

"Somebody, please, get this man a gun!"

The Bowery King led John and the girls to the armory, where he picked out a small wooden box. Upon opening the lid, he pulled out a silver pistol, with two matching clips.

"Kimber .45 ACP. Seven round capacity." Bowery King held up one clip, and handed it to Earl.

"Seven rounds?" John asked, baffled.

"Seven million, for seven rounds." Bowery King chuckled. "You do the math. That's a million a round." John rolled his eyes, and loaded the pistol. Without further ado, the three of them were led to an old fashioned elevator, where Earl was waiting.

"He's at the museum. Earl will guide you." Bowery King told John, as the elevator began to descend. "Remember John, you owe me."

Before the elevator was completely under, John left the King with one final word of advice:

"Ask Santino how that worked out."


	10. Rule Breaker

John, Sloane, and Katie entered the museum via a floor panel in the back, and made their way to the ballroom, which was being drowned in violin music.

"What's the plan?" Katie asked.

"Find Santino, and make him pay." John murmured, as they navigated their way past guest and security.

"I see him." Sloane whispered, nodding upward in her direction. John looked straight ahead, seeing Santino converse with a woman, before he saw Wick. The other guests moved to either side of the room, knowing who Santino was staring at, and the music stopped.

"Here… we… go." Sloane smirked. What followed was complete chaos in the museum. John pulled out his gun and wasted all his ammo on the henchmen in front of them, while Sloane and Katie shot some guards from behind. With his ammunition expended, John grabbed a guy and flipped him to the ground, simultaneously taking the pistol and shooting its owner in the head, while Sloane shot two of the guards running towards Wick.

Sloane and Katie rushed down a corridor that Santino escaped into, as John covered them. Three more guards burst through a doorway, forcing Sloane and Katie to roll forward on the ground and shoot them through the heart. John took cover behind a slab in the middle of the room, and shot at two other henchmen that tried to sneak up on the girls.

The three of them ran into a room with many statues, shooting everyone in there way. As she was shooting one of Santino's mobsters, Sloane heard a faint click, and watched as John threw his empty gun at one of the gangsters.

"John!" Sloane got Wick's attention, and tossed her pistol to him, which he caught. Sloane turned back, just in time to catch a guy's fist and punch him in the rib, before stripping him of his gun and ammo and shooting him twice in the head, painting the floor with his blood. With the combined skill of the Baba Yaga, Sloane, and Katie, they quickly dispatched of any remaining assassins, and ran towards the exhibit Santino was in, titled Reflections of the Soul.

"Ready for this?" John asked, reloading his pistol. Sloane smirked, and checked her ammo.

"Yeah."

The three of them entered the exhibit, revealing it to be a giant room of mirrors. They walked through a few corridors, before hearing Santino's voice, speaking in Italian.

"_My God, John. My God. You just don't get it._ The marker's complete, John. You should've just run away. You know what the Camorra will do to you? To your friends? You think you're Old Testament? No John. No… killing me won't stop the contract. Killing me will make it so much worse. You know what I think? I think you're addicted to this life. To the vengeance."

Sloane turned a corner, just in time to see to mobsters in white suits inches from her. Acting on pure impulse, she shot the first in the head, while Katie covered her killed the other.

"No wife… no life… no home…" Santino continued. "Katie, isn't it? You have no uncle. Vengeance is all you people have." At that comment, Katie's eyes narrowed with hatred.

"You wanted me back?" John said, gritting his teeth in anger. "I'm back."

"And he's not alone." Katie added. John saw Santino out of the corner of his eye, and began shooting, but D'Antonio crashed through a mirror, escaping the Boogeyman's wrath. At the same time, John ran out of ammunition.

"Shit, you're out again?" Sloane groaned.

"Don't worry, you'll get another one." Katie reassured Wick, noticing more mobsters in the exhibit, led by the short haired woman they saw earlier.

John, Sloane, and Katie hid in different parts of the hallway, and when one of the hitmen walked down, Sloane shot him in the head, while John took his pistol and shot the man sneaking up behind Katie.

The three walked further down, stopping only when one of Santino's men opened fire on a mirror, thinking it was John. Wick replied by shooting through the mirror twice, killing his attacker, before proceeding down another hallway and crashing through the glass, finding themselves in another room with a see through stairway. Since John crashed into the mirror head on, he tackled a mobster to the ground, and Sloane shot him twice in the chest. Katie quickly looked up and saw the final mobster speeding down the stairs, and shot him in the chest and head, causing the corpse to fall over and crack the glass floor.

John got up and chased Santino and his bodyguard through the final hallway of mirrors, with the girls following closely behind. Upon reaching the final room, the bodyguard revealed herself striking with a hidden blade. John quickly backed up, while Sloane leapt forward, grabbing the woman's arm and kicking her in the back of the legs.

"John, go!" Katie yelled. "We'll take care of this!"

John nodded and continued after Santino, while Katie and Sloane fought off the bodyguard.

The guard attempted to stab Sloane, but her arm was knocked out of the way by Katie. The short haired woman turned on Katie, attempting to slash her chest, but her wrist was caught by Sloane, who headbutted her and forced the knife into her shoulder. Katie followed by ripping the knife out and plunging it into the bodyguard's eye, puncturing the skull and killing her instantly.

"That's for my uncle, you bitch." Katie muttered with pure hate.

Wasting no time, Sloane and Katie ran out of the museum, correctly guessing that Santino would seek refuge at the Continental. Within minutes, the two burst through the doors, and sprinted to Charon.

"Where's John?" Sloane asked, while panting from booking it.

"He's in the lounge, meeting Mister D'Antonio." Charon told them.

"Thank you."

* * *

Sloane and Katie raced towards the lounge, just in time to see John walked down the spiral stairs. They noticed Santino dining in the middle of the lounge, looking at them smugly. At the bar was Winston, who was sharing a drink with their old friend, Marcus.

"Duck fat, makes all the difference." Santino smirked, eyeing John and his friends, who stood at either side of him, while Winston tried to talk him out of killing Santino. "Have you seen the menu? A man can stay here for a very long time, without eating the same meal twice."

"Jonathan, listen to me…" Winston paused, noticing that Katie was also visibly furious, and the hand that held her gun was shaking uncontrollably. "You too, Katherine. Please. Just… walk away."

"Don't do this, John." Marcus begged. "Just don't."

"Yeah, Jonathan. Katherine." Santino mocked. "Walk away-"

John brought up his gun with lightning speed and shot Santino where his sat, creating a smoking hole in his forehead. In her anger, Katie brought her pistol up as well, and kept shooting Santino's corpse until the clip on her gun ran out, where she desperately pulled the trigger.

"Katie, stop." Sloane pleaded, lowering her best friend's arm. "He's already dead."

"What have you done?" Winston asked, mildly shocked.

"Finished it." John replied, laying the gun on the table, while Katie dropped hers to the floor.

The three of them walked back to the management desk, where Charon was waiting.

"Was he a good dog?" John asked.

"The best." Charon replied, smiling. "I enjoyed his company."

"Let's go home." John told his pit bull, and he, the dog, Sloane and Katie walked out of the Continental.


	11. Excommunicado

John, Sloane, and Katie made it back to John's home, which was now in ruins.

"So that's what Winston meant by Santino incinerating the priest's temple." Sloane whispered. John sat down for a moment, petting his dog, but then looked up, hearing footsteps. Sloane and Katie turned around, seeing Charon standing in what was left of the doorway.

"Mr. Wick, if you would be so inclined." Charon politely said. "You ladies as well."

* * *

John, Katie, and Sloane exited Charon's vehicle and began walking towards the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, when Charon stopped them.

"It has been a pleasure, Mister Wick." the concierge shook John's hand, and nodded to the girls. Sloane and Katie nodded back, and followed John to the fountain, where Winston and Marcus were waiting for them.

"What am I looking at, Winston?" John asked, getting down to business.

"The Camorra has doubled Santino's contract to 14 million, and made it international." Winston informed.

"The High Table?"

"Afraid so."

"And the Continental?"

"You killed on company grounds, Jonathan." Winston admonished. "I have no choice but to declare you excommunicado. All services tied to the Continental are now closed to you."

"What about me?" Katie asked, nervous.

"I am certain you will not share the same fate as Jonathan." Winston told her. "However, you did shoot Santino moments after his death. There will be penance- in time."

"I kinda helped to talk him out of that." Marcus offered.

"Then why am I not dead?" John asked.

"Because I did not deem it so." Winston told him. In an instant, every single person in the park turned their heads towards John and his friends. With a nod, they went back to their usual activities.

"You have one hour." Winston told him, checking his watch. "It's unavoidable. I do have a parting gift for you, however." Winston reached into his jacket and handed John a marker.

"Winston, tell them." John warned. "Whoever comes, whoever it may be. I'll kill them. I'll kill them all."

"Of course you will. Jonathan." Winston smiled.

"Winston."

John turned to leave, and Sloane and Katie were soon to follow, when Marcus called after them.

"If you two need anything, anything at all…" Marcus paused. "Well, you know who to call."

Sloane and Katie nodded, and followed John back up the steps. As they were walking down the sidewalk, they noticed that everyone was staring at them, and they heard something that sent a chill down their spines.

Every single cell phone was ringing, all at once.

John began to pick up his pace, with Sloane and Katie quickly following him, and they ran out of the park. It wasn't until the final cell phone stopped ringing, did they run in a full on sprint, in a race against time to get out of New York.


	12. One Hour

John, Sloane, and Katie tore through the streets of New York in the dark, cold rain. John paused for a moment in an alley, checking his watch. 5:40 PM. He was running out of time.

Upon hearing a noise, he looked up, noticing a familiar homeless man sitting in the alley next to him.

"Tick tock, Mister Wick." the man, named Earl, smirked as he checked his gold watch. "Tick tock. No time to dilly dally!"

Earl laughed, and the three of them ran out of the alley and towards a yellow cab, getting in without a moment's hesitation.

"Where to, Mister Wick?" the taxi driver asked.

"The library." John ordered, but checked his watch. Fifteen minutes left. John looked back up, seeing a traffic jam.

"Change of plans." John grumbled, taking out a gold coin. "The Continental. See to it he gets there."

"Yes, Mister Wick."

John petted his dog one last time, before he, Sloane, and Katie got out of the car and sprinting towards the library in a race against time.

* * *

The three made it to the library, and after John requested a certain book, they went to the assigned shelf and grabbed it, where John peeled back a picture, revealing an open space with several gold coins, a marker, a gold cross, and a picture of John and his wife, Helen.

"What's that?" Katie asked, eyeing the cross.

"My ticket." John replied cryptically. Before closing the book, John kissed the picture of his wife, and placed it neatly in the empty space, and sealed the picture.

"Consider your origins, for you were not meant to lead as brutes, but to strive for knowledge and virtue." John looked up, seeing a man taller than him, and with curly black hair. "You're looking worse for wear, John."

"Ernest." John greeted, and checked his watch. "I still have time-"

"Is almost up." Ernest interrupted. "Who will know the difference?"

"We will." Sloane said fiercely. "You'll have to go through us to get to him."

"Do you really want to do this?" John asked.

"Fourteen million is a lot of money."

"Not if you can't spend it."

Ernest simply replied by pulling a knife out of his trenchcoat. John gritted his teeth, as Ernest made it clear what his plans were.

The larger assassin went to stab John, but as he drew his arm back, it was caught by Sloane. Ernest attempted to back hand Wick's protector, but his other fist was grabbed by Katie, and the two forced him out of the narrow walkway between bookcases. Without missing a beat, John rushed forward and slapped Ernest in the face with the book, before slamming it into his neck and punching him, hearing a satisfying crack as the man's neck snapped. While Ernest's body fell to the ground, John put the book back in the bookcase, and checked to see if he was wounded.

"Where now?" Katie asked.

"The theater."

* * *

Once the three made it to the theater John had mentioned, he checked his watch. Only ten minutes left. Plenty of time to spare.

"Where are we?" Sloane asked, curious.

"Home." John cryptically said. They all walked through the front doors, where they were stopped by who appeared to be security guards.

"Remove." the guards ordered, in Russian accents.

"The Hell does that mean?" Sloane asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Take off your weapons." John told them, which they obliged. John himself laid out his coins, marker, and cross.

"Belt too."

John complied, removing his belt, and the three ventured further into the theater, where they found an older woman in the middle of the seats. On stage was a young girl practicing ballet.

"Again!" the Director commanded, each time the girl fell.

John approached the woman, holding out his cross.

"You've come back, Jardoni." the Director marveled, barely looking at him. "I can not help you."

"You are bound to help me." John told her. "I have my ticket."

"The High Table wants your life." the Director retorted. "You are Excommunicado. That ticket means nothing."

"I still have ten minutes left." John told her. "You owe me." the Director considered his words, before sighing.

"Come with me, Jardoni." the Director got up, and John followed her. As Sloane and Katie were about to follow, the Director turned back.

"Only him." the Director commanded, with a steely eyed look.

"But-"

"I will see you again." John promised, and with that, he and the Director left to head behind the stage. With nothing left, Sloane and Katie walked back to the front of the theater, collected, their weapons, and left.

"What do you think he's up to?" Sloane asked.

"I'm not sure, but he'd better hurry." Katie said, checking her phone. "He only has five minutes left."

The two girls began walking back to the Continental, where unbeknownst to them, someone with a beard and Asian features was watching them from afar. That same man had been watching John Wick, ever since the hour started. With a smirk, he turned away, vanishing into the night.


	13. Consequences

The next morning, Sloane and Katie exited their suite in the Continental and went to the lobby, just in time to see a woman with a nearly shaved head enter the hotel.

"Good morning." Charon said politely. "How may I service you?" The woman said nothing, and instead slid a black and gold token onto the desk. Charon visibly stiffened, and picked up the phone, calling Winston.

"Sir, there is an Adjudicator here to see you." Charon told the manager. "He is in the lounge." The Adjudicator turned in the direction of said lounge, and walked right into Sloane and Katie.

"Are you Sloane Hanson and Katie Jackson?" The woman asked.

"Yes?" Sloane answered, unsure why she had a chill go down her spine.

"Come with me. Now." The Adjudicator ordered. "We're all going to have a chat with the manager of this hotel."

"Hey, who the fuck do you think you are?" Katie asked, getting annoyed.

"Ladies-" Charon gave a warning glance. "An Adjudicator is a representative of the High Table."

"Oh. Shit." Sloane cursed, realizing what this was about. "Guess we'll go with you."

* * *

The Adjudicator, Sloane, and Katie entered the lounge, seeing Winston and Marcus waiting for them.

"What can I do for you?" Winston asked cheerfully.

"I've come to see the status of this hotel, after one of the High Table's members perished."

"Oh, you are referring to John Wick." Winston drawled, dreading the moment. "Rest assured, I declared him excommunicado."

"But you gave him one hour." The Adjudicator noted. "Because he killed on Continental grounds."

"Yes."

"May I see the body?"

* * *

The five of them went below the Continental, down to a sub basement where bodies were stored. Winston approached one and took off the sheet, revealing Santino's face.

"Santino D'Antonio. He's seen better days." The Adjudicator noted, looking closer. "One shot to the head. With a Kimber .45 ACP. Further bullet wounds in the chest, but used with a Glock 19…"

"What is the point of that?" Winston asked, attempting to protect Katie.

"The point is someone else shot him as well." The Adjudicator snapped, staring right at the young assassin. "You helped John Wick kill Santino."

"He murdered my uncle!" Katie protested.

"Santino was a member of the High Table." The Adjudicator retorted. "It is about time that you and everyone under the Table knows their place. There are rules to this world."

"And without them, we live among the animals." Winston finished.

"Speaking of, this happened in your hotel." The Adjudicator turned on Winston. "Perhaps you are not fit to run the Continental anymore."

"I beg your pardon?" Winston asked, shocked. "I have served the High Table for over forty years."

"Yet here, right after John Wick murdered Santino, a member of the High Table, on Continental grounds and in front of you, you let him walk away. Instead of stopping him, instead of killing him." The Adjudicator continued.

"I made him Excommunicado." Winston reminded her.

"But not before you gave him one hour." The Adjudicator shot back. "Some would say that you and John Wick were close, friends even. Perhaps this was a conflict of interest. Tell me, where is your fealty?" For a moment, Winston was too shocked to say anything, and the Adjudicator turned to Marcus, who wisely stayed silent the entire time.

"And you." The Adjudicator sneered. "You were within arm's length of Mister Wick. But like the manager here, you did nothing, and allowed your friend to murder one of the High Table's members."

"Santino betrayed John-"

"Santino had a marker, that John vowed to uphold." The Adjudicator snapped, before turning back to Winston. "You have seven days to get your affairs in order."

"Excuse me?"

"It is clear that you can not handle management anymore, so you shall be relieved of your duties at the Continental." The Adjudicator coldly said. "Either you step down, or be forcefully removed."

Next, she turned to Marcus. "Because you did nothing to stop Wick either, you have two days to get your affairs in order, as you will be pressed into retirement."

"And if I say no?" Marcus asked.

"Is that a threat?"

"You don't want to find out." Marcus said darkly.

Lastly, the Adjudicator turned to Sloane and Katie.

"Finally, you two. What am I going to do with you…" the Adjudicator frowned, puzzled. "Had John not taken the shot, you surely would have killed Santino. But you might as well have just been beating an already dead horse."

"How about you go fuck yourself?" Katie suggested. "You don't scare me."

"Wrong answer." The Adjudicator replied. "Your penance will come soon enough." The High Table's representative turned around, and began walking back towards the elevator.

"Gentlemen, ladies." The Adjudicator announced. "Just remember, you could have avoided this had you not helped John Wick.

"Actions have consequences."

* * *

Two days later, Sloane and Katie found themselves walking with Marcus towards Times Square, uncertain of the future.

"I suppose this is goodbye." Marcus sorrowfully said. "I was hoping you two would stay."

"If we did, no doubt the Adjudicator would come for us." Sloane gritted her teeth. "There's nothing left for us here."

"You are correct in that assumption." Marcus turned around, just in time to see a bald Japanese man punch him in the face. As the older assassin stepped back, more Japanese hitmen came up from behind, grabbing Sloane and Katie's arms and forcing them to their knees. Marcus looked up, seeing the Adjudicator walking towards them.

"Since you helped Mister Wick on multiple occasions, and have refused to step down, your penance will be your soul." The bald man pulled out a katana, and in one fluid movement, severed Marcus' head from his body.

"No!" Katie screamed, attempting to kick the men holding her down.

"And as for you, Miss Jackson-" The Adjudicator paused. "You and your friend also aided John Wick, even when he was Excommunicado."

"Fuck you." Katie spat. "Do your worst."

"I plan to." The Adjudicator declared. "Your penance shall also be your life." With that, the bald assassin swiped across Katie's neck, slashing her throat and nicking several arteries.

"Katie!" Sloane screamed, but it was no use. Her best friend was dead.

"You fucking bitch." Sloane growled. "I'm going to kill you!"

"Don't be so sure." The Adjudicator told her captive. "You will join your friend soon enough-"

"Not today." A gruff voice bellowed, and the assassins holding Sloane in place were shot in the back with a shotgun. Sloane instantly got up and pulled her own firearm, shooting at the hitmen, but the bald assassin and the Adjudicator fled the scene.

"You okay?" Sloane turned around, seeing her savior was wearing a black trenchcoat, had dark hair fashioned in a buzzcut, and a white skull on his chest.

"Frank!" Sloane said happily.

"Sloane." Castle grunted. "Sorry I couldn't make it in time. Was John alright last you saw him?"

"He's on the run." Sloane revealed. "Every assassin in the world wants that 14 million."

"Can't say I blame them, that's a lot of money." Frank shrugged. "C'mon, I'll take you someplace safe."


	14. Old Friends Return

Sloane followed Frank into this old apartment, filled with an assortment of weapons, and a computer showing security footage of New York. With a chill, she realized they were in the Punisher's hideout.

"This is where you live?" Sloane asked.

"When I'm not busy." Frank mumbled, picking up a duffle bag full of weapons. "Stay here. I won't be gone for long."

"Wait!" Sloane protested. "Let me come with you."

"The High Table is after your hide." Frank told her. "I interrogated a low life thug before I found you, and he told me there was a five million contract on you."

"My best friend just died." Sloane told Castle. "I need something that will take that pain away. Please."

"The best thing you can do for now is to get some rest." The Punisher suggested. "If the Table finds you out there, you're dead." With that, Frank Castle left the apartment, leaving Sloane to sit on the bed and mourn Katie's death.

* * *

For the past several days, Frank had left Sloane in his hideout, coming back only to drop off food for her. Each time she asked if it was safe for her to come back out into the New York streets, Castle would always shake his head and say the same thing:

"Not yet. The Table is still after you."

"Is John back?" Sloane asked hopefully.

"No."

Eventually, Sloane began to grow impatient, and started trying to find ways to take her mind off of everything. Off of John Wick. Off of her best friend. Off of her friend's uncle. Everything. So, the next time Frank stopped in, Sloane asked him a question about his past.

"Frank? What exactly happened before you became the Punisher?"

Castle sighed, setting down the minigun he usually carried with him, and sat down on the bed next to her.

"I was in the Marines." Frank told his tale. "Served a couple tours in Nam. Towards the end of my last one, bad shit went down that seemed to awaken that lust for vengeance in me…

"It was the last day at the base. We were just starting to pack up, when all of a sudden, a swarm of Vietcong came charging over the hills. We were unprepared, out manned, and outgunned. Many men that I knew, who became brothers to me, quickly were shot, stabbed, or even beaten to death. Eventually, it just came down to me, fighting off the horde. I'm not sure how I survived, but all I saw was red. And that wasn't just the blood I spilled that day.

"By the time another platoon came back, they found me as the only survivor, with hundreds of corpses laid at my feet. They barely asked any questions, and instead put me on a plane to debrief, and then sent me home.

"A few days later, my family was gunned down in the park, and the rest was history." Punisher muttered, looking down at the ground.

"I'm sorry, Frank." Sloane said truthfully, touching Castle's shoulder. "But you're not alone. You have John, and me to back you up."

"Thanks." Frank looked up, and nearly cracked a smile. Before he could say anything else, he turned to the computer that displayed footage. On there, the screen displayed the New York transit, with two familiar looking men.

"Is that John?" Sloane asked, squinting at a man with long dark hair and a beard. He was seemingly staring down someone else, who was bald.

"Looks like it." Frank grunted. "Don't know who the other one is."

"I think it's the one who killed Katie and Marcus." Sloane realized. "We have to get there." Frank nodded, and grabbed the keys to his battle van.

"I'll drive."

* * *

Frank sped towards the transit like a madman, with Sloane gripping her seat until her knuckles turned white.

"Jesus, could you slow down?" Sloane shouted.

"Relax, we're nearly there." Frank muttered, turning a corner. Unfortunately, the moment he did, they both saw a motorcycle roar past the van. Riding the bike was a man with long hair, a dark beard, and a black suit that was soaked in blood.

"Shit!" Sloane cursed. "We missed him! John was on that bike!"

"Hold on!" Frank yelled, doing a dangerous U-turn and began chasing the motorcycle. Out of the corner of her eye, Sloane noticed several assassins on motorcycles begin to chase John as well.

"Frank, go faster." Sloane suggested.

"You got it."

Frank slammed his foot onto the gas pedal, and the van tore through the streets of New York, until it was right beside John's cycle. As Sloane opened the door, John raised his pistol, ready to shoot.

"John, wait!" Sloane cried out. "It's me!" John faltered, lowering his pistol, and Sloane took the opportunity to jump onto the motorcycle, holding onto his jacket tightly. Seeing that the girl was no longer with him, Frank slammed on the breaks, and one of the motorcycle assassins plowed into the van, killing him instantly and causing the bike to screech to a stop in the middle of the street. Most of the other cycles veered out of the way, but one of them was not so lucky, as it flipped over itself and crushed its rider when it landed.

"Where are we going?" Sloane asked, as she shot several of the assassins in the head, just when John crossed over a bridge.

"The Continental." John answered, focusing on the road. "I'll explain once we get there!"

John swerved around traffic and shot through the helmets of two more assassins, while Sloane grabbed a katana out of one of their hands and sliced off his arm, which got caught in the back wheel and flipped his motorcycle over, killing him instantly when it landed. Without missing a beat, she chucked the sword at the motorcycle that was being ridden by two assassins back to back, and smirked as the blade went through both their chests. That just left one more cyclist, who kept dodging the gunfire and tried to run John off the road.

"There!" John pointed dead ahead, where the Continental was at the corner. In and expert move, John squeezed the handbrake on the motorcycle, and jumped off as it swerved, grabbing Sloane on the way. Wick tuck and rolled, making sure Sloane was protected, and the two laid just a foot from the steps. The motorcyclist made his way over towards the pair, taking off his helmet to reveal a bald head and Asian features.

"You!" Sloane yelled, seething in rage. The bald man, who Frank had told her was named Zero just the other day, smirked, as he pulled out his pistol and advanced. Just as she thought they would die, John reached out and grabbed Sloane's hand, while simultaneously placing his palm on the steps of the Continental.

"Stop!" Sloane heard Charon shout, and Zero looked up. "Put your weapon down!"

"He's excommunicado." Zero protested. "And she'll be soon as well!"

"Unless you wish to become the same, you will put your weapon down." Charon threatened. Reluctantly, Zero lowered his arm, much to his chagrin.

"I'd like to see the manager." John announced.

Of course." Charon smiled. "If you both would be so kind to follow me?"


	15. Parabellum

John and Sloane entered the lounge and sat down side by side, staring straight ahead at first. It wasn't until Sloane looked down, that she noticed John was missing one finger. The one that used to have his wedding band.

"What happened to your hand?" Sloane asked, curious.

"I met a man in Casablanca, the Elder." John explained. "The one who sits above the High Table. In order to swear my fealty, I was required to give up an… offering."

"So are you no longer excommunicado?" Sloane asked, despite what Zero said earlier.

"No." John said bluntly. "I have to kill someone."

"Who?"

John decided not to answer, and instead, looked at Sloane. With a twinge of guilt, he realized her best friend wasn't there.

"Where's Katie?"

Sloane looked at the ground, and tears threatened to spill out.

"Dead." Sloane whispered. "Marcus too. Murdered by him." Sloane looked up, just in time to see Zero enter the lounge and sit on the couch, right next to her. Sloane's eyes widened in shock, and both she and John moved to individual chairs. Zero didn't seem to take the hint, and he just moved to the end of the couch, closer to John.

"I gotta tell ya, I've been looking forward to meeting you for a long time." Zero said giddily. "And so far, you haven't disappointed. Neither of you have. I'm a huge fan. John Wick! And his friend, Sloane Hanson."

"Fuck you." Sloane spat. "You killed Katie. And Marcus."

"It wasn't personal. It was purely business." Zero shrugged.

"That's what they all say." Sloane said sarcastically, as John's pitbull bounded into the lounge and jumped onto John.

"Sweet, is that the dog?" Zero asked gleefully. "He sure likes you! I'm more of a cat person. What about you, Sloane?"

"Don't have pets." Sloane muttered.

"You know, we're the same, you and I." Zero told John.

"No we're not." John scoffed, just as Charon returned.

"Mister Wick, Miss Hanson." Charon announced. "The manager will see you in his office."

* * *

John and Sloane made their way to Winston's office, finding him in an enormous room made of glass, with the manager at the center, in front of a unique chess board.

"You know I only use this room for special business." Winston mumbled. "Always good to see what the other has behind their back." Winston looked up, seeing two of his oldest friends.

"Jonathan. Sloane." Winston smiled. "You were sent here to kill me?"

"Yeah." John revealed, shocking Sloane. "Consequences."

"It seems we're all paying for our actions these days." Winston said sadly, looking down. "You for killing Santino, and me for allowing you. The High Table wants me to step down."

"The hour?"

"The hour." Winston nodded, pulling out a small golden pistol.

"And you're not stepping down." John concluded.

"No, I don't think I will." Winston shrugged, staring at the gun. "But, I would rather die at the hands of a friend than an enemy."

"Wait, it hasn't been a week yet." Sloane said, puzzled. "You still have time."

"I'm afraid not." Winston looked down. "Jonathan will be forced to kill me, and he will then be a slave to the High Table."

"But I will be alive." John countered. "I can remember her."

"Will you?" Winston inquired. "Or will you become a shell of yourself. You can die as a servant of the High Table, as the Baba Yaga, or live as a man who loved, and was loved."

At that moment, they all heard someone coming down the stairs in the room, and they simultaneously turned, seeing the Adjudicator approaching them.

"It is time you all came to a decision." The Adjudicator announced, first staring at Winston. "Will you step down as manager of this hotel?"

"No." Winston said bluntly. "I won't."

"And will you kill him?" The Adjudicator turned to John.

"Are you going to kill them both?" Finally, the Adjudicator glared at Sloane.

"Go fuck yourself." Sloane glared right back.

"Very well." the Adjudicator Took a few steps back and turned around, while activating her phone. After a few seconds, she returned back to the three.

"Gentlemen, lady." The Adjudicator addressed. "This institute is now deconsecrated. Business can now be conducted on Continental grounds. Since you are refusing to step down-" She stared at Winston, who stiffened as he eyebrows raised in shock.

"You are refusing a direct order-" She glared at John, who stared blankly.

"And you are refusing to honor the excommunicado-" She looked at Sloane, who gritted her teeth in anger.

"-All your lives are now forfeit. High Table emissaries will be joining you shortly to remove your souls from the property. Good evening to you all."

As the Adjudicator turned around, Sloane held up her gun, but John stepped in front of the barrel.

"Out of the way, John." Sloane growled.

"Don't." John cautioned. "It'll just make it worse than Santino." Sloane snarled, and put her gun away.

"This haven is safe no more." Winston said, still visibly stunned.

"Are services still off limits for me?" John asked, getting an idea.

"Under the circumstances, your privileges are reinstated immediately." Winston informed. "What do you need?"

"Guns." John replied, while Sloane grinned. "Lots of guns."

* * *

John and Sloane followed Winston, who were joined by the pitbull and Charon, to a safe on the ground floor, where her inputted a code and scanned his palm print. The safe door swung open, revealing a fancy couch in the middle with a lamp, and all around the walls was an assortment of weapons.

"Let's make a withdrawal." John and Winston nodded, and he and Sloane began looking around the room.

"These are High Table forces." Charon said matter of factly. "We may have to consider our choices carefully."

"Why?" John asked, confused.

"Much has changed since you were last here." Charon informed him. "Let's just say we made the homily booklets." Without missing a beat, the concierge took a pistol off the wall, and presented it to Wick. "2011 Combat Master, with nine millimeter measures." John took the gun, and pretended to reload and shoot, satisfied with the feel.

"125 grain, 14 hundred and 25 feet per second. Serious business." Charon presented a single round.

"Thank you." John took the bullet and loaded an entire clip of the rounds into his pistol, as Charon gave Sloane a duplicate with the same ammunition. All the while, Winston placed a record into an old vintage player, and the room filled with classical violin music.

"Charon, would you help set the mood for our guests?" Winston requested.

"Of course sir." Charon smiled, and he opened a panel near the door, revealing an electrical generator. With a simple flip of a switch, the lights in the entire Continental went out, and the backup lights kicked in.

"I know you will do the Continental proud." Winston told the concierge, who smiled at the manager.

"I will see you soon, sir." Charon replied.

"Sloane, good luck, and watch Jonathan's back."

"They won't stand a chance." Sloane grinned.

"And Jonathan, do what you do best."

"What's that?"

"Hunt."

John nodded, and the three were out the door. As Charon began locking the room, Sloane could just barely hear Winston speaking in Latin. Even with her Latin being a bit rusty, the result of her and Katie dropping out of college in favor of the world of assassins, she was able to make out what he was saying.

"_If you seek peace, prepare for war."_


	16. The Battle of the Continental

With Charon going to meet up with the rest of the Continental staff, Sloane and John crouched behind a desk, as two High Table guards began walking toward them. Once they were in point blank range, Sloane and Wick popped up, shooting at the head and chest. The High Table guards went down, and John turned to deal with others.

"Wait!" Sloane's eyes widened, realizing that the men weren't dead yet. The guards got up, and Sloane emptied her clip into one of them, while John grabbed one and held him against a wall, before unloading into the helmet. The guards finally went down, but two more showed up, and opened fire on the assassins. John straffed around a corner, as Sloane ducked beneath a desk. Soon enough, John's pistol ran out of a clip again, and he took the automatic rifle off his shoulder, and began spraying bullets at the emissaries. Unfortunately, even with the high powered weapon, the guards were still soaking up several magazines.

"Shit, their armor is tough!" Sloane swore, unloading her final clip into one of the emissaries' heads. With her weapon depleted, Sloane took the dead guard's shotgun, and began pumping their adversaries full of lead, while John ducked around a corner and blindly shot with his rifle. Even with their combined efforts, Wick still drained all his ammo from the rifle, and had to resort to his pistol again. Despite the two fighting tooth and nail, they were slowly overwhelmed, and were forced to retreat back to Winston's safe room.

"Winston!" John shouted, banging on the door, and only let up when the manager opened the safe room. "I need more firepower!"

Winston merely smirked, and gestured around the room. They were soon joined by Charon, who took off his jacket and approached the wall with three shotguns, handing two over to John and Sloane, and keeping the other for himself.

"Mossberg 500." Charon informed, and went to a drawer and pulled out a handful of shotgun shells.

"Armor improvements?" John asked.

"12 gauge steel slug. Armor piercing." Charon replied, and the three began loading their firearms quickly. After taking additional shells, John, Sloane, and Charon left the safe room, where Winston promptly locked the doors again. With one final crank of the pump, the three split up, determined to take care of the last of the High Table emissaries.

* * *

While John and Charon ventured into the basement and lounge, Sloane opted to stay on the ground floor, hiding behind the concierge desk as one of the High Table's enforcers came close. Without warning, Sloane lifted her head, firing a slug right at the guy's head, and watched as his skull exploded.

"Fucking awesome!" Sloane grinned, and went to find more of the emissaries.

After doing a quick sweep of the ground floor and only finding two more guards, Sloane took the maintenance elevator down to the lounge, where she swung the shotgun like a baseball bat and caught one of the enforcers in the face, before finishing him off with a shotgun blast to the head. Some searching later, and she met back up with John, who seemingly just got out of one of the indoor pools.

"What happened?" Sloane asked, noticing how wet he was.

"Zero." John stated, checking the ammo in his pistol. "Come on!"

John and Sloane tracked Zero up to Winston's personal glass office, and after checking the corners, ventured inside. The moment they set foot into the room, John started to get attacked by Zero's assassins, but Sloane quickly made short work of them with the shotgun, blasting away anyone trying to sneak up on her, then killing the ones who fought John. That was, until two Shinobi assassins took them by surprise, moving quickly and knocking them to the ground.

"_It is an honor to fight with you both, Mr. Wick and Ms. Hanson."_ One of them said in Japanese, and they grabbed their hands to help them up. John and Sloane got into fighting stances, and the Shinobi charged with a series of quick blows. To their credit, they were pretty fast, but John and Sloane countered them easily, considering they were going one on one.

"_Switch!"_ One of the Shinobi shouted, and the pair changed targets. That didn't help, as John and Sloane were still countering their attacks easily.

"Enough!" John yelled, picking up one of the Shinobi and heaving him over his shoulders, while Sloane kicked the other right in front of one of the glass cases.

"Now!"

John threw his Shinobi assassin as hard as he could, and the man soared through the air, slamming into his partner and shattering through the glass case. The Shinobi laid on the ground, broken, as John and Sloane approached them.

"_Be seeing you._" John told the pair, and he and Sloane simply left after he picked up a katana.

"You let them live?" Sloane asked, surprised, but picked up her Mossberg where she left it.

"A professional courtesy." John told her, and they slowly walked up the stairs to confront Zero.

The bald assassin was waiting for them in front of the chess board, and John charged, katana in hand, as Zero brought out his own sword. As the two kept fighting, Sloane attempted to line up a shot, but found that she couldn't, John was blocking her. Moments later, however, she found the opening she needed, when Zero kicked John down and prepared to stab him.

"Hey!" Sloane yelled, and shot her final shell at Zero, catching a few of his fingers and forcing him to drop his katana in pain. John got back up, slashing Zero in the leg, while Sloane rolled forward, grabbing the fallen katana and stabbing Zero in the shoulder. The assassin growled, punching John and kicking Sloane, but they both quickly recovered, and unleashed a flurry of slashes on Zero, culminating in him receiving a katana through the back and another through the chest, effectively neutralizing the assassin.

John and Sloane collapsed to their knees, exhausted, while Zero knelt beside them, his breaths getting heavier.

"That was some fight, huh John?" Zero asked, not bothering to look up.

"Yeah."

John and Sloane slowly got up, beginning to leave, when Zero called back to them.

"Go ahead, guys. I just need a minute. I'll catch up." Zero said weakly.

"No you won't." John said coldly, and Sloane watched as Zero's body fell to the floor. Just then, Sloane got a text from Charon, requesting they meet on the roof.

"Charon just asked for us to meet him and Winston on the roof." Sloane frowned. "What's going on?"

"Let's find out."

* * *

John and Sloane exited the elevator and made it to the roof, finding Winston, Charon, and the Adjudicator waiting for them.

"Parlay?" John asked.

"Parlay!" Winston confirmed, and Wick and Hanson moved closer to the trio.

"What do you propose we do?" The Adjudicator asked.

"Let me keep my power." Winston requested, thinking for a moment.

"Under the table?"

Winston simply nodded.

"I have served, and have been a beacon of order and stability to this industry for over 40 years." Winston declared. "Now, I humbly admit that I overstepped, and I re-pledge my fealty to the High Table."

"Winston?" John exclaimed, confused. Winston shot Wick a look that Sloane didn't know the meaning of.

"You were merely showing strength so that we would let you keep the Continental." The Adjudicator realized, as Winston bowed. "The High Table accepts your fealty, and the Continental shall be reconsecrated effective immediately. But what about him?"

Sloane's eyes widened, realizing she was referring to John.

"What are we going to do about John Wick and Sloane Hanson?"

Winston, John, the Adjudicator, and Sloane all ended up in a staredown before Winston broke the silence.

"Oh, well they have to die." Winston said casually, pulling out a pistol and shot John in the shoulder. "Charon, if you please."

"Apologies, Miss Hanson." Charon said sadly, as he too pulled out a gun and shot her in the lower abdomen. Luckily, the bullet hit the armored part of her suit, but it still hurt like Hell.

"Winston?" John exclaimed, surprised and hurt by the apparent betrayal.

"Sorry, John Wick. Sloane." Winston shrugged, shooting John again. "I don't see any other way for you or for Miss Hanson."

"You bitch!" Sloane yelled at the same time, pulling out her own pistol and shooting the Adjudicator right between the eyes, killing her instantly. Apparently, Winston was unfazed, and he and Charon continued shooting the two assassins.

"No, not her!" John shouted, and he grabbed Sloane the moment he fell off the roof, landing on one of the metal awnings outside and slamming into the balcony railing of a nearby building, smashed into another awning, before plummeting into the alleyway below. John took the majority of the beating, as he had held onto Sloane protectively, and she was the first to get up.

"Oh God, John." Sloane cried out, reaching over to her mentor and friend. With a smile of relief, she saw that he was still alive, but barely. "Why?"

"Because…" John slurred, beginning to lose consciousness. "You're the daughter I never had… but you've made it worse now…" With that, John fell momentarily unconscious, causing Sloane to scream for help.

"Someone, help! Please!"

Suddenly, a hand clamped over her mouth, and Sloane attempted to fight back, until she heard a familiar voice.

"Sloane, stop! It's me!"

Sloane turned around, seeing Frank Castle behind her.

"Frank? What are you doing here?"

"I heard about the deconsecration from someone in the Bowery. Came to check if you needed help. Clearly, you do."

"I'm fine." Sloane insisted, but pointed to John. "But he needs it."

"Good thing I came with someone." Frank nodded behind Sloane, who turned and saw Earl pushing a cart towards them.

"Help me lift him." Earl ordered, and he and Frank laid John in the cart, before pushing him out of the alley.

"Let's go." Frank announced, and put Sloane's arm around his shoulders.

"I don't need him."

"Yes. You do." Frank replied, and together, the three walked out of the alleyway with the unconscious John Wick kept hidden. Eventually, they were joined by John's pitbull, and they all made their way back towards the Bowery.


	17. Epilogue: The Coming Storm

As Sloane and Frank ventured underground with Earl and John, the two began conversing about the Continental.

"Can't believe Winston betrayed John." Sloane growled. "He tried to kill him!"

"No he didn't." Frank disagreed. "If he really wanted to kill either of you, he would've gone for the head."

"But that fall-"

"Winston knew it'd be painful, but he also knew you guys would survive, what with all that shit that broke you from a dead drop."

They all finally made it to the end of a tunnel, where Sloane saw the Bowery King sitting on a throne, drinking orange fanta through a straw. With a heave, Earl dumped John out of the cart and onto the floor, the act causing him to groggily wake up.

"How you doin' John?" Bowery King asked, while Sloane and the Punisher stood behind Wick. "Well, you look as bad as I feel."

"Worse." Sloane muttered, but noticed that the Bowery King had several brutal scars on his face.

"Johnny, Johnny, Johnny." Bowery King chuckled, looking down on the Baba Yaga. "Raise your hand if you can hear me, John." Wick did so, holding up his left hand.

"Oh, shit! They took a finger!" Bowery King cocked an eyebrow, only mildly surprised. "Ain't that a bitch?" John responded by forming his hand into the bird, and flipped the King off, who simply laughed out loud, while Sloane snickered.

"Oh, John fucking Wick." Bowery King smirked. "So, the old boy keeps the hotel, and you and your surrogate daughter take the fall. Can't say I blame him, I'd have done the same thing, had I been in his shoes. Kudos for offing that Adjudicator bitch, though, Hanson. 'Cause this High Table Shit…" The Bowery King stood up from his throne, having to use a cane to walk. "Seven cuts. Ha. Under the table is where shit gets done. And they're about to learn that if you cut a king, you better cut him to the quick. So…" Bowery King knelt down in front of John, causing Sloane to step closer. "Let me ask you, John, and Sloane, how do you feel? Because I am really, really pissed off. You pissed off, John?" When John didn't answer right away, he turned to Sloane.

"What about you, Sloane? Aren't you pissed?" At that moment, John looked up at the Bowery King, and Sloane looked him right in the eye. By some coincidence, they both uttered the same word, at the exact time.

"_Yeah."_


End file.
